(Only) at the time when the highwayman is consumed like firewood is the candle of the spirit resplendent;3610
شمع تاجر آنگهست افروخته ** که بود ره‌زن چو هیزم سوخته
For thou art (in reality) that (spiritual) intelligence, and (all) the rest (of thee) is a mask concealing the intelligence. Do not lose thy (real) self, do not strive in vain!
که تو آن هوشی و باقی هوش‌پوش ** خویشتن را گم مکن یاوه مکوش
Know that every sensual desire is like wine and beng: it is a veil over the intelligence, and thereby the rational man is stupefied.
دانک هر شهوت چو خمرست و چو بنگ ** پرده‌ی هوشست وعاقل زوست دنگ
The intoxication of the intelligence is not (caused by) wine alone: whatsoever is sensual shuts the (spiritual) eye and ear.
خمر تنها نیست سرمستی هوش ** هر چه شهوانیست بندد چشم و گوش
Iblís was far removed from wine-drinking: he was drunken with pride and unbelief.
آن بلیس از خمر خوردن دور بود ** مست بود او از تکبر وز جحود
The drunken man is he who sees that which is not: (to him) what is (really) a piece of copper or iron appears to be gold.3615
مست آن باشد که آن بیند که نیست ** زر نماید آنچ مس و آهنیست
This discourse hath no end. (God said), “O Moses, move thy lips, that the herbage may spring forth.”
این سخن پایان ندارد موسیا ** لب بجنبان تا برون روژد گیا
He (Moses) did so, and immediately the earth became green with hyacinths and costly grains.
هم‌چنان کرد و هم اندر دم زمین ** سبز گشت از سنبل و حب ثمین
That folk fell to (eating) the food, since they had suffered famine and were (almost) dead from ravenous hunger.
اندر افتادند در لوت آن نفر ** قحط دیده مرده از جوع البقر
For several days they ate their fill of the gift, (both) those who were inspired by that breath (of Moses) and the (other) human beings and the quadrupeds.
چند روزی سیر خوردند از عطا ** آن دمی و آدمی و چارپا
When their bellies were filled and they grasped the (Divine) bounty and the necessity was gone, then they waxed insolent (in disobedience).3620
چون شکم پر گشت و بر نعمت زدند ** وآن ضرورت رفت پس طاغی شدند
The carnal soul is a follower of Pharaoh: beware, do not satisfy it, lest it remember its ancient infidelity.
نفس فرعونیست هان سیرش مکن ** تا نیارد یاد از آن کفر کهن
Without the glowing heat of the fire (of mortification) the carnal soul will never become goodly: hark, do not beat the iron till it has become like live coals.
بی تف آتش نگردد نفس خوب ** تا نشد آهن چو اخگر هین مکوب
Without hunger the body makes no movement (towards God): ‘tis cold iron thou art beating. Know (this for sure)!
Though it weep and wail most piteously, it will never become a true believer. Take heed!
گر بگرید ور بنالد زار زار ** او نخواهد شد مسلمان هوش دار
It is like Pharaoh: in (the time of) famine it lays its head before Moses, as he (Pharaoh) did, making supplication;3625
او چو فرعونست در قحط آنچنان ** پیش موسی سر نهد لابه‌کنان
(But) when it has been freed from want, it rebels (once more) when the donkey has cast off his load, he kicks.
چونک مستغنی شد او طاغی شود ** خر چو بار انداخت اسکیزه زند
So, when its business has gone forward (prosperously), it (the carnal soul) forgets its sighs and lamentations.
پس فراموشش شود چون رفت پیش ** کار او زان آه و زاریهای خویش
The man who lives in a city (many) years, as soon as his eye goes asleep,
سالها مردی که در شهری بود ** یک زمان که چشم در خوابی رود
Beholds another city full of good and evil, and his own city comes not into his memory at all,
شهر دیگر بیند او پر نیک و بد ** هیچ در یادش نیاید شهر خود
So that (he should say), “I have lived there (so many years); this new city is not mine: here I am (only) in pawn.”3630
که من آنجا بوده‌ام این شهر نو ** نیست آن من درینجاام گرو
Nay, he thinks that in sooth he has always lived in this very city and has been born and bred in it.
بل چنان داند که خود پیوسته او ** هم درین شهرش به دست ابداع و خو
What wonder (then) if the spirit does not remember its (ancient) abodes, which have been its dwelling-place and birthplace aforetime,
چه عجب گر روح موطنهای خویش ** که بدستش مسکن و میلاد پیش
Since this world, like sleep, is covering it over as clouds cover the stars? —
می‌نیارد یاد کین دنیا چو خواب ** می‌فرو پوشد چو اختر را سحاب
Especially as it has trodden so many cities, and the dust has not (yet) been swept from its perceptive faculty,
خاصه چندین شهرها را کوفته ** گردها از درک او ناروفته
Nor has it made ardent efforts that its heart should become pure and behold the past;3635
اجتهاد گرم ناکرده که تا ** دل شود صاف و ببیند ماجرا
That its heart should put forth its head (peep forth) from the aperture of the mystery and should see the beginning and the end with open eye.
سر برون آرد دلش از بخش راز ** اول و آخر ببیند چشم باز
The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.
اطوار و منازل خلقت آدمی از ابتدا
First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.
آمده اول به اقلیم جماد ** وز جمادی در نباتی اوفتاد
(Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition (between them);
سالها اندر نباتی عمر کرد ** وز جمادی یاد ناورد از نبرد
And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,
وز نباتی چون به حیوانی فتاد ** نامدش حال نباتی هیچ یاد
Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs—3640
جز همین میلی که دارد سوی آن ** خاصه در وقت بهار و ضیمران
Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;
هم‌چو میل کودکان با مادران ** سر میل خود نداند در لبان
(Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
هم‌چو میل مفرط هر نو مرید ** سوی آن پیر جوانبخت مجید
The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal Intelligence: the motion of this shadow is derived from that Rose-bough.
جزو عقل این از آن عقل کلست ** جنبش این سایه زان شاخ گلست
His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at last in him (the Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.
سایه‌اش فانی شود آخر درو ** پس بداند سر میل و جست و جو
How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not?3645
سایه‌ی شاخ دگر ای نیکبخت ** کی بجنبد گر نجنبد این درخت
Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him (Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.
باز از حیوان سوی انسانیش ** می‌کشید آن خالقی که دانیش
Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty.
هم‌چنین اقلیم تا اقلیم رفت ** تا شد اکنون عاقل و دانا و زفت
He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,
عقلهای اولینش یاد نیست ** هم ازین عقلش تحول کردنیست
That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.
تا رهد زین عقل پر حرص و طلب ** صد هزاران عقل بیند بوالعجب
Though he fell asleep and became oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness?3650
گر چو خفته گشت و شد ناسی ز پیش ** کی گذارندش در آن نسیان خویش
From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock at his (present) state,
باز از آن خوابش به بیداری کشند ** که کند بر حالت خود ریش‌خند
Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth (the real experiences)?
که چه غم بود آنک می‌خوردم به خواب ** چون فراموشم شد احوال صواب
How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?”
چون ندانستم که آن غم و اعتلال ** فعل خوابست و فریبست و خیال
Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,
هم‌چنان دنیا که حلم نایمست ** خفته پندارد که این خود دایمست
Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.3655
تا بر آید ناگهان صبح اجل ** وا رهد از ظلمت ظن و دغل
(Then) laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.
خنده‌اش گیرد از آن غمهای خویش ** چون ببیند مستقر و جای خویش
Everything good or evil that thou seest in thy sleep will be made manifest, one by one, on the Day of the (Last) Congregation.
هر چه تو در خواب بینی نیک و بد ** روز محشر یک به یک پیدا شود
That which thou didst in this sleep in the (present) world will become evident to thee at the time of awaking.
آنچ کردی اندرین خواب جهان ** گرددت هنگام بیداری عیان
Take care not to imagine that this (which thou hast done) is (only) an evil action committed in this (state of) sleep and that there is no interpretation (thereof) for thee.
تا نپنداری که این بد کردنیست ** اندرین خواب و ترا تعبیر نیست